Spyderco Forums

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 17, 2024 9:35 am

What watch brand do you all recommend that is under 50 dollars for a reasonably durable model that if necessary the batteries and repair can be done by most watch repair shops ?

Much like if I could only have one Spyderco I'd go with a Pacific Salt since it can handle any situation....

https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/g-sh ... 0e-review/

The Casio DW5600 would be my one and only watch (if we're excluding smart watches).

It's tough, waterproof, accurate, has a back light, stop watch, timer, shows the date, has a classic look, is comfortable to wear, doesn't hold moisture like fabric bands do, and can be purchased for $30-45 year round.

If you want to pony up some extra cash, they come in a wide range of colors, and have options for solar charging and radio time updates, and I believe there are bluetooth enabled versions now too. I have a green one with a reverse display (black screen with light numerals).

In fact I'm gonna leave my garmin at home today and wear mine. I'll post a photo later.

Another neat brand is shark watch. They have some really cool colors / designs, have better waterproofing features than the casio like being able to use the buttons underwater, and their straps allow for a more personalized fit than standard watch bands. They're a bit more expensive than the basic 5600 though. They're also smaller, making them more suitable for smaller wrists.

here's a basic dw5600, a special edition reverse screen dw5600, and a shark watch with early 90's vibes:



I'll be rocking the first one today.

Thank you Aladinsane and vivi! I'm looking at both the Casio G Shock and the Timex. That G Shock is excellent and time tested, going back to 1987.

Do you think this is true or an urban legend? A construction worker friend of mine years back claimed the developers of the first quartz solid state watches approached the Swiss and offered them the opportunity to get in on the tech but the Swiss laughed because these have no need for precise mechanical moving parts and later regretted passing up the opportunity.

Though they still make out great with their Rolexes.

Timex MK1 chronograph today!

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 19, 2024 4:45 pm

Thank you Aladinsane and vivi! I'm looking at both the Casio G Shock and the Timex. That G Shock is excellent and time tested, going back to 1987.

Do you think this is true or an urban legend? A construction worker friend of mine years back claimed the developers of the first quartz solid state watches approached the Swiss and offered them the opportunity to get in on the tech but the Swiss laughed because these have no need for precise mechanical moving parts and later regretted passing up the opportunity.

Though they still make out great with their Rolexes.

Good luck with your watch search! I have heard that story too, but I don’t know if it’s true or not!

Timex Expedition Scout Chronograph for today:

Bertucci A-2S Ventara:

Damasko DA38

some seiko

back to garmin for hike tracking stuff

Timex Mk1 chronograph

vivi wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 19, 2024 10:40 am

here's a basic dw5600, a special edition reverse screen dw5600, and a shark watch with early 90's vibes:



I'll be rocking the first one today.

I like that shark watch! If I ever get a digital watch, it will probably be a shark watch!

This is the watch that started my watch journey 3 years ago except this is the brushed steel version with red accents. After I sold that black MTG-S1000BD-1AEF I started missing its wrist presence which is significant at 57mm and 183gram. Then I discovered this MTG-S1000D-1A4JF at a good price. It's one of 3 grail Casios I was able to source from Japan these past months. Shout out to FedEx for shipping from Japan to Belgium in 3 days wut!!!

Better picture next to a 42mm Steinhart Ocean One Vintage Red which is the watch I offered myself for my 45th birthday that got lost in transit and led me to Casio out of spite. Full circle I guess...

I’ve been going with quartz lately, for the simplicity, but by some freak coincidence all of my analogue battery watches as well as my only solar powered analogue watch died within just over a week.
This time of year is quite busy, so I’ll set aside time to service them and source parts later on. I usually have the most common batteries lying around, but if the super cap is busted in my solar powered Citizen, I guess that’ll be a more involved acquisition and replacement process.
In the meantime my favorite beater watch is promoted to daily driver



It’s not a small watch, but not as large as this wide angle lens makes it appear. Perfectly fine for make shift office duty.

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 19, 2024 4:45 pm

Thank you Aladinsane and vivi! I'm looking at both the Casio G Shock and the Timex. That G Shock is excellent and time tested, going back to 1987.

I realize this is late to the party, but if you’re still on the fence, I have no problem endorsing the 5600 series of Casio G-shocks.

I have both the higher spec’ed tough solar, multi-band radio controlled version with a solid steel case back and the basic version with a reverse display.
While I paid about 50% more for the fancy pants version, it is hands down the most watch for the money I’ve ever experienced. Even the resin watch band feels higher quality and softer.
That said, I’ve probably used the regular version more. Being fully blacked out it’s less legible and quite objectively worse at being a time piece, but it’s a much more forgiving watch when you’re trying to dress casual and doesn’t stick out as much.

Both are banger value, so which one to recommend is more a matter of preference.

Side note, my 12 year old son who totally lost any interest in wearing a watch some 3 or 4 years ago, borrowed my blacked out G-shock one day he had to keep track of the time and we discovered his own watch had given up the ghost in storage.
I don’t know if it’s the watch itself that does it or if it’s just the cool factor of getting a real watch from a grown up, but somewhat unexpectedly he enjoys using that watch and has adopted it in a kind of silent agreement. I also told him that it’s the toughest and much durable watch in the world, to persuade him to wear it in the first place, so that could have played into it as well

Militado VK67

Steinhart and grail Manaslu in the wild...

Better look at the PRX-7000T-7JF, which had been on my radar for a couple years and is the only analog ABC watch Casio ever made, named after legendary Manaslu in the Himalayas. I had noticed in the picture that the battery was entirely drained which explained the asking price so I jumped on it knowing full well that you can nurse any Casio solar back to health with some good ole vitamin D. Once you master reading the sensors it's actually a very intuitive watch to use.